Our thanks to Faz (Faisal Chaudhary) and Manny (Manuel) from 4x4xfaz, who supplied and delivered our new recovery van from Oxford, and stayed in the rain to give me a demo on how to load and unload the car – not easy at the moment because the wheelbase is really too narrow for the ramps. We have to find someone with an angle-grinder so that we can cut slots in them and move them inwards a bit. However, we got her up safely, as you can see. Next thing is that I have to get used to driving the van, as well as getting used to driving Chattie.

Faz was telling us that both his maternal and paternal grandfathers served in the second world war. His grandfather served in the Punjab regiment and was posted in Africa where he was captured by the Germans, held captive for 7 days before he managed to break out of jail and return to safety. He retired as a Captain.

Manny was very taken with the car. He was – literally – born in a garage, he said; and virtually grew up in one as his father was a mechanic.